VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Vancouver Canucks managed to secure a 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, with key performances from several players. Elias Pettersson played a crucial role in this win, scoring the equalizer on a power play early in the second period and providing an assist for Erik Brannstrom’s goal later in the third period. Pius Suter also contributed to the Canucks’ tally, while J.T. Miller had a strong showing with two assists. Canucks’ goaltender Kevin Lankinen delivered an impressive performance, stopping 28 shots throughout the game.

For the Flames, Justin Kirkland was the sole scorer, and goalie Dan Vladar made 29 saves to keep his team competitive. Notably, Erik Brannstrom scored his first goal as a Canuck after joining the team in a trade with Colorado on October 6.

In a special mention, Swedish rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki made his debut with the Canucks, filling in for Brock Boeser on the first power play unit. Boeser remains sidelined due to an upper-body injury he sustained from a hit delivered by Tanner Jeannot of the Los Angeles Kings the previous Thursday.

Observations from the game highlight that for Pettersson, this marked a notable comeback as it was the first time he scored in consecutive games over his last 50 regular-season appearances. His last instance of back-to-back goal scoring took place across three games from January 15 to 20.

On the other side, the Flames have faced challenges recently; after an initial strong performance, winning five of their first six games, they have only managed to secure three victories in their last eleven matches, posting a record of 3-6-2.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when the Flames held a 1-0 lead until the closing seconds of the first period when defenseman Daniil Miromanov received a high-sticking penalty. Just 23 seconds into the second period, Pettersson capitalized on the ensuing power play by tapping in a rebound from Miller’s shot to tie the game. Suter then added another goal a little over two minutes later, putting the Canucks in the driver’s seat.

Interestingly, the Canucks have now allowed the first goal in eight consecutive games yet have managed a commendable record of 5-2-1 during this stretch.

Looking ahead, the Flames will begin a four-game homestand as they face off against the Predators on Friday, while the Canucks will host the Islanders on Thursday.